Abandoned
by cein
Summary: Part 5 of 5. Will Don and Mac finally sort things out, or is it too late? SLASH
1. Chapter 1

Title: Abandoned 01 Author: Ceindreadh Email: Website: n/a Permission to archive: Yes to WWOMB, anybody else, please ask first.  
Fandom(s): CSI-New York Genre (general, hetero or slash) : Slash, angst, hurt/comfort.  
Pairing/Characters: Flack/Mac Rating: PG-15 Summary: It's a week after Don was injured, but Mac hasn't been to see him.  
Warnings: a slash fic with a lot of hurt/comfort thrown in.  
Disclaimer. I don't own the CSI-NY characters, I'm only borrowing them, and I promise to return them in minty fresh condition when I'm finished.  
Notes: An idea that came to me and wouldn't let me go until I'd written it.

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Stella finished collecting the evidence from the woman in front of her and closed up her C.S.I. kit. Jane Locke was being investigated following the shooting of her husband, but from the evidence that Stella had collected, it appeared that it might well have been self-defense. Stella knew that she would have to confirm this with the evidence Mac was collecting from the husband, who was also being treated in the hospital.

"Thank you, Mrs. Locke," said Stella, before leaving the woman to be taken care of by the nurse. Mac was waiting for her outside the door. 

"Got everything?" asked Mac.

Stella nodded, "She's got bruises all over her, Mac. Some of them days, maybe even weeks old."

"You're thinking self defense?"

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"Well let's see what the evidence says."

Stella looked at her watch, "It's nearly lunchtime. I was thinking of dropping in on Flack for a quick visit."

"Say hello to him for me," said Mac. 

Stella looked at him in surprise. "You're not going to see him?"

"Have to get the evidence back to the lab, get it processed."

"A few minutes delay isn't going to compromise it." Stella was frowning as she looked at Mac. 

"We can't know that for sure." Mac shifted his case to his other hand. "In any case, they only allow one visitor at a time in I.C.U., and I'm pretty sure he'd consider you better company."

"Don was moved to a step down ward two days ago. Mac, what the hell is going on? The first night he was here we couldn't drag you away, and now you're making excuses to not see him. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong. Look Stella, go see Flack or not. I'll be at the lab." With that, Mac turned and walked away. He could feel Stella's eyes on him as he walked down the corridor, but he knew he couldn't explain to her why he wouldn't visit Don. No, why he couldn't visit him. Not now that Don was awake. Stella had been right, they had practically had to drag him away from Don that first night, and even then he had only left the Detective's side long enough to relieve himself or grab something to eat. Mac had stayed there the whole night long, talking to Don, trying to get him to respond beyond the simple squeezing of his hand. Mac had practically begged Don to wake up; knowing that he couldn't bear to lose another loved one. 

And that was the problem. Mac loved Don. He didn't know how or when it had happened, but when he had seen Don lying bleeding under all the debris and been faced with the very real prospect of watching him die, Mac knew that he loved him and couldn't bear to lose him. 

And that was why he couldn't go near him again. When Claire had died, a part of Mac had died inside as well. He had managed to drag himself out of that black place eventually, but he had promised himself that he would never allow another person into his heart that way again. 

The first time he had gone for a drink with Don, it had never occurred to him that anything would come of it. It had been a stressful shift for both of them. Don had found out that the cop who had trained him, who had taught him everything he needed to survive on the streets, had tampered with evidence. Mac had been the one to prove it, and he wouldn't have blamed Don if the Detective had chosen to throw his offer of a drink back in his face. But Don had obviously needed somebody to talk to, somebody to get drunk with, somebody who knew just how hard a struggle it had been to realize that his mentor had feet of clay. Mac had been there for him, and a few months later, Don had been there when Mac had had a particularly bad day. 

Their relationship had grown from there. Don was there when Mac needed him, and vice versa. And that was as far as it went. Until today. Seeing Don lying there, barely conscious, blood pouring out of him. Mac knew that their relationship had become something he hadn't expected...hadn't hoped for. After Claire, Mac didn't think he was capable of loving somebody the same way again. After losing her, Mac didn't want to feel that way about anybody again, and to realize that he felt that way about Don, and had nearly lost him... Mac knew that if Don had died, another part of him would have died as well. He'd barely survived Claire's loss, a second such loss, no, he wasn't going to take that chance. Better to keep Don at a distance, to deny the way he felt about the younger man. Better to close off his heart completely, because to open it to love meant opening it to the pain of losing that love. 

Don will move on, thought Mac. He was young, he'd recover from his injuries, get back to work, and sooner or later he'd find somebody else to be with. It wasn't as if Don was in love with him. He'd find the right person and when that day came, Mac was sure he'd be happy for him. Mac just wished he could convince himself of that.

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To be continued 


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Abandoned 2?  
Author: Ceindreadh Email: Website: n/a Permission to archive: Yes to WWOMB, anybody else, please ask first Fandom(s): CSI-New York Genre (general, hetero or slash) : Slash, angst, hurt/comfort Pairing/Characters: Don/Mac Rating: PG-15 Summary: Don feels abandoned by Mac after the bombing Warnings: spoilers for S2 finale Disclaimer. I don't own the CSI-NY characters, I'm only borrowing them, and I promise to return them in minty fresh condition when I'm finished.  
Previously on CSI-NY: A week after the bombings, Don is still in hospital but Mac hasn't gone to see him.

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Don will move on, thought Mac. He was young, he'd recover from his injuries, get back to work, and sooner or later he'd find somebody else to be with. It wasn't as if Don was in love with him. He'd find the right person and when that day came, Mac was sure he'd be happy for him. Mac just wished he could convince himself of that.

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2  
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Stella had a frown on her face as she watched Mac walk away. Something was definitely wrong with him. But she didn't have time to stand there thinking about it, not if she wanted to check in on Don. She'd been doing that a lot the last few days. As had practically everybody in the department. Any time a C.S.I. was called to the hospital, they usually made it their business to spare a few minutes to see their injured comrade. Everybody that is, except Mac.

Stella stopped off at the gift shop on her way upstairs and picked up a small stuffed frog. It had become something of a tradition with the team to bring a stuffed toy as a gift. Danny of course had been the one to start it, showing up the day after the explosion with a giant stuffed rabbit. Flack had glared at him and threatened to throw both it and Danny out the window once he was feeling better, but the idea had caught on, and by the time Flack was discharged, he was likely to have a veritable menagerie of stuffed pets to take home with him.

Stella sighed as she pressed the button for Flack's floor. It was likely to be several more days if not another week before Don was going to be fit enough to be released, and even after that, it would take time for him to regain his strength sufficiently to return to work. Stella knew Don well enough to know that he wasn't looking forward to his enforced period of idleness. 

"Hey there, Flack," said Stella, popping her head round the door. 

"Stella, good to see you." Don was sitting up in the bed and his face lit up as he saw who his visitor was.

"Just a quick visit," said Stella, "Brought you a new friend." She gave Don a quick hug before handing him the frog.

Don rolled his eyes, "I am so gonna kill Messer when I get back to work. What'd he do, send a memo round the whole department?" He gestured at the box of toys on the floor beside his bed.

"Actually I think it was an email." Stella pulled up an empty chair and sat down. "So how're you doing?"

Don shrugged, then winced at the twinge of pain in his side, "Okay I guess. Doc says I'm healin up okays. Should be able to go home maybe next week."

"That's great news."

"So what brings you here? Not that I mind the company. These guys might be nice and bright to look at," Don waved his hand at the box of toys, "But they're not what I'd call good at making conversation."

"Just some routine evidence collection," replied Stella. "Mac and I were called in to..."

"Mac's here?" interrupted Don, his face brightening.

Stella couldn't help but notice his reaction, and how his face fell as she replied, "He had to go back to the lab, start with the processing, but he said to give you his best."

"Yeah, I'll bet he did," Don's voice was low and he lay back against the bed. 

Stella thought about letting it go at that, but her instincts both as an investigator and Don's friend, told her that this was something she needed to get to the bottom of. Her voice was gentle as she asked, "What's going on, Don?"

"Don't know what you're talking about," mumbled Don, not looking her in the eye. He wished that she'd just leave him alone already. 

Almost a week now and Mac hadn't been to see him. At first Don had made excuses to himself, figuring that the lab was probably backed up processing all the stuff from the bombings and Mac was likely run off his feet and hadn't had a chance to come visit. But to know that Mac had been there...had been under the same roof...only a few floors away...and hadn't wanted to see him. Don figured that there was only one reason why Mac wasn't coming near him. 

"Okay, I know I might not have a great poker face, but right now yours is even worse. Come on Don, spill it."

Don plucked at the bedclothes in front of him and wouldn't meet Stella's eyes. "I just figured...I thought he'd come see me...but I guess..." Don's voice trailed off and he was silent for a few seconds before continuing, "He's always been there when I needed him...but now..." Don looked up at Stella, "I need him now and he's not here and I never realized how much I needed him and it's not just cause I'm all beat up and feeling like shit, it's more than that. He and me...we've been sort of...together...or at least I thought we were...but now..." Don looked away and sighed, "Maybe he just doesn't like seeing me all messed up like this. The doc says they did what theys could, but there's gonna be scarring. I mean I never figured Mac to be bothered about stuff like that...but maybe he just can't handle it."

"You and Mac?" Stella couldn't hide the surprise in her voice, but the more she thought about it, the more things started to make sense. "How...how long has that been going on?" She kept her voice carefully neutral.

Don shrugged, "Bout a year or so. We just...sometimes we just needed each other. Shit, I shouldn't have said nothing. I just...I miss him Stella...it's only been a week, but it feels like my heart got ripped out along with my gut. Damnit," he thumped the bed in frustration. "I shouldn't be feeling like this. Me and Mac, we never said we were together together. We were just there for when we needed each other...but now I need him...and he's not there, and I don't know what to do..." He looked so alone and desolate that Stella instinctively moved to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"It'll be okay, Don," she said softly. "I promise you it'll be okay."

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to be continued 


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Abandoned 3?  
Author: Ceindreadh  
Fandom(s): CSI-New York  
Genre (general, hetero or slash) : Slash, angst, hurt/comfort  
Pairing/Characters: Don/Mac  
Rating: PG-15  
Summary: Don feels abandoned by Mac after the explosion  
Warnings: spoilers for Charge of this post.  
Disclaimer. I don't own the CSI-NY characters, I'm only borrowing them, and I promise to return them in minty fresh condition when I'm finished.

Previously on CSI-NY.  
Don was recovering in hospital and Mac was avoiding visiting him.

-  
3  
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Stella was fuming by the time she got back to the lab. She'd spent as much time with Don as she could spare, reassuring him that it was only natural to be feeling the way he was feeling. After the ordeal he had been through, it was hardly surprising that he felt the need to have somebody to be with...somebody to hold on to. And to be effectively abandoned by the one person he counted on to lean on...that had to hurt.

She was still shocked at the revelation that he and Mac had been seeing each other. Not because she had a problem with them being together, but simply because they'd done such a good job of hiding it from their colleagues. What shocked her more though was the way that Mac was avoiding Don. Stella didn't believe for one minute that it had anything to do with the scars on Don's body and she was determined to discover the true reason.

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Mac was in his office when Stella burst in, closing the door firmly behind her.

"Okay, who are you and what the hell have you done with the real Mac Taylor."

"Stella?"

"Don't you 'Stella' me. What the hell happened to that Marine rule about never leaving a man behind?"

Mac looked at her in surprise, "You mean Don? But I didn't leave him behind, I got him out of that building."

"And you think that's the end of it? For Christ's sake, Mac. Don is lying there in that hospital bed thinking that the reason you haven't been to see him is because you can't see past his scars."

"That's not the reason," protested Mac.

"No? Well maybe you should tell him that. Look him in the eye and tell him why you're abandoning him just when he really needs you. I don't know the ins and outs of your relationship with him, and maybe it's not my business to know. But I do know that you can't just walk out on him when he needs you."

"He doesn't need me..."

"Yeah? You just keep telling yourself that Mac, maybe it'll help you sleep at night."

"You're right about one thing, Stella. This isn't your business."

"It is my business when I spend the last half hour trying to convince Don that you're not just a shallow bastard who was just out for a quick fuck every now and then."

"It was never just about sex," said Mac. He sat down at his desk and buried his head in his hands.

Stella's anger faded somewhat and she sat down across from him, "What's going on, Mac? I know you...you're not the type to hide from a problem. I know that Flack being injured brought up some bad memories for you...is that why you can't see him now he's awake?"

Mac knew that Stella had just offered him a plausible way out, whether she realized it or not. He could easily just say to her that yes, he couldn't look Don in the eye without seeing the face of the man he'd failed to save more than twenty years ago. But he knew that he couldn't lie to her...or to himself.

"It's not that," he said, quietly. "I just can't...I can't be with him anymore." Mac could see the confusion on Stella's face and he continued, "I nearly lost him that day. I had my hands in his belly and it nearly wasn't enough. He could have died in front of me...and I...I don't think I could bear to have it happen again. I've already lost one person I loved...and it nearly killed me...if it happened again..."

"So you're just going to let Don think you don't care about him? Don't you think he at least deserves you to be honest with him? To have you look in him in the eye and tell him why you're dumping him?"

Mac shook his head, "I can't..." In his heart, Mac knew that one look from Don's blue eyes and there was no way he'd be able to say all the things that needed to be said. That was why he had left the hospital once he was sure that Don was going to recover. That was why he hadn't dared go visit him once he was awake. One look from Don and Mac knew he'd never be able to close the door on their relationship. But for his sake...for both their sakes, he knew that they couldn't be together anymore.

"Well you have to do something. You may be able to avoid him while he's in hospital, but sooner or later he'll be back on his feet and back on the job. You're going to have to sort things out if you're going to be working together, and the longer you leave it, the harder it's going to be."

"You think I don't know that?" Mac slammed his hand on the desk in frustration. "You think I haven't spent the last week trying to figure out the best way to deal with this?"

"Forgive me for pointing out that 'ignoring it and maybe it'll go away', isn't really the best way to handle things. Mac, just go and see Don, and say what needs to be said. If you're breaking up with him...okay, that's up to you, but right now Don needs to know where he stands. He's got enough on his plate already, he doesn't need to be left in limbo over something like this."

"And you think now's the best time? Kick him while he's down and all that."

"There's no such thing as a good time to dump somebody, trust me on this," said Stella. "But better you be honest with him now, rather than have him lying there thinking it's all his fault."

"It's not his fault," protested Mac.

"I know that, and you know that. But we're not the ones who need to be convinced. Go see him Mac, you have to make this right."

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But if Stella was stubborn, Mac was equally so, and he had the advantage of a weeks worth of arguing with himself over his chosen course of action. Stella did manage to extract a promise from Mac that he would talk to Don before the detective was cleared to return to work. Knowing that the last thing anybody needed was to have the two of them on the outs with each other while working together, Mac had reluctantly agreed. He convinced himself that it would be easier to push Flack away once the younger man was back on his feet.

Stella meanwhile was hoping that by then it wouldn't be too late. The next time she visited Don, it was as if they'd never had that conversation about Mac. In fact, Mac Taylor might never have existed as far as Don was concerned.

"They're both a pair of stubborn fools," Stella had told herself, knowing that there was nothing she could do about it. Don wouldn't speak to her about Mac, Mac wouldn't speak to her about Don, and all she could do was hope that Don would make a speedy recovery so that Mac would be forced to speak to him sooner rather than later.

And that was when Don suffered a setback and Stella knew that she was going to have to take matters into her own hands.

-  
To be continued


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Abandoned 4? 

Author: Ceindreadh Email: to archive: Yes to WWOMB, anybody else, please ask first.  
Fandom(s): CSI-New York  
Genre (general, hetero or slash) : Slash, angst, hurt/comfort  
Pairing/Characters: Don/Mac  
Rating: PG-15  
Summary: Don feels abandoned by Mac after the explosion

Warnings: spoilers for Charge of this post.  
Disclaimer. I don't own the CSI-NY characters, I'm only borrowing them, and I promise to return them in minty fresh condition when I'm finished.

Previously on CSI-NY.  
Don was recovering from his injuries, but Mac had made a point of avoiding visiting him. Stella did her best to reconcile the two, and managed to persuade Mac to speak to Don once he was released from the hospital.

And that was when Don suffered a setback and Stella knew that she was going to have to take matters into her own hands.

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4  
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An abscess had developed on one of Don's many wounds from the explosion. The surgical team had had to open him up again to drain it, and his discharge date had been pushed further away while he was dosed with antibiotics. It affected Don more than just physically. The main thing that had kept him going through his hospital stay was the hope of getting the hell out as soon as possible. The prospect of being stuck there indefinitely while the docs sliced and diced him whenever they felt like it, was not one he relished.

Stella had reported the change in Don's status to Mac, hoping that it would make him reconsider his decision, but if anything it had only strengthened his resolve. Life was so fragile and fleeting...to allow himself to get seriously involved with somebody was only going to result in more pain. Mac told himself this through many sleepless nights.

Stella noticed that Mac wasn't sleeping well. She also noticed how subdued and withdrawn Don had become. Something was going to have to be done before both men were damaged irreparably.

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"I'm not sure this is such a good idea," said Nurse Wu. "I could get in a lot of trouble for this."

"I promise I'll take full responsibility," said Stella. "And believe me, I'd never ask you to do something like this if it wasn't really important."

"Hmm. Well I've seen how unhappy that poor boy looks. Lying there all day, just waiting for somebody who ain't gonna show. And anything that helps cheer him up can't be all bad. Just answer me one question. This Mac Taylor guy that he's so cut up over...is he worth it?"

"Don believes he is."

"Then that's good enough for me, honey."

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Mac walked briskly along the hospital corridor, carrying his CSI kit. He'd been just on his way home when he'd received a page from the hospital, requesting a CSI to collect evidence from a John Doe assault victim. Mac briefly considered handing the case off to one of the rest of his team...but it wasn't as if he had any other plans for the evening.

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"He's just in here," said Nurse Wu. "I'll just get his belongings out of storage. If you need any help, just press the call button."

"Thank you, Ma'am," said Mac.

There was a privacy screen pulled around the bed when Mac entered the room. He set his kit down on a chair and said, "Sir, my name is Detective Mac Taylor with the New York PD crime lab. If you don't mind, I'd like to collect some evidence from you."

Mac had been told that the patient was unconscious, and so he didn't expect an answer. What he expected even less when he pulled aside the screen, was that a sleepy looking Don Flack would be lying in the bed behind it.

The expression of surprise on Don's face mirrored that on Mac's. He had been told by a nurse that one of his surgeons would be checking in on him that evening. Half asleep from the combination of painkillers and antibiotics, he had barely registered the door opening.

Mac was the first to recover. "I...I must have the wrong room," said Mac.

Don's face fell. "Yeah...that'd be right. No need to figure you'd be here by choice." His fist clenched around the bedclothes as a wave of disappointment crashed over him. He should have guessed that Mac wouldn't have had a sudden change of heart.

Mac hesitated for a few seconds before saying, "I...I should go. I was called here to collect evidence..." He took a step back, almost knocking into the chair, which held his kit.

"Can't you stay...since you're here and all..." Don hated the way it sounded like he was begging, but he hadn't set eyes on Mac in over a week, and he couldn't bear to see him leave. "Please Mac..."

"I'm on the job, Don. You know I can't stay."

"Yeah...that's right. It's always the job. Nothing comes between you and the job."

"I'll talk to you another time, Don." Mac grabbed his kit quickly and headed for the door, almost reaching it before he heard Don's voice again.

"Mac...don't...don't go. We need...I need to talk..."

Mac had his hand on the door as he let himself slump against it. "Don...I can't..." He clutched the handle but couldn't bring himself to open it. Maybe he could stay for a bit...just five minutes with Don...it couldn't hurt...but Mac knew that his resolve would be sorely tested if he turned around. His only hope was to keep moving...and yet he couldn't bring himself to open the door.

"The hell you can't..." Don had had enough. He threw back the bedclothes and pushed himself to his feet. But he only managed a few steps before his legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground, ripping the I.V. line from his hand as he did so. "Mac!" he managed to cry out as he crashed heavily to the floor.

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to be continued


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Abandoned 5/5 Author: Ceindreadh Email: Website: n/a Permission to archive: Yes to WWOMB, anybody else, please ask first.  
Fandom(s): CSI-New York  
Genre (general, hetero or slash) : Slash, Angst, Hurt/Comfort  
Pairing/Characters: Don/Mac Rating: PG-15 Summary: Don feels abandoned by Mac after the bomb blast  
Warnings: maybe a tissue warning.  
Disclaimer. I don't own the CSI-NY characters, I'm only borrowing them, and I promise to return them in minty fresh condition when I'm finished. 

Previously on CSI-NY - Mac was avoiding visiting Don in the hospital. Don was upset that Mac was ignoring him. Stella wanted to fix things, so she arranged for Mac to be paged to the hospital, ostensibly to collect evidence, but she had the Nurse bring him to Don's room. When Mac realized what had happened, he tried to leave.

Mac had his hand on the door as he let himself slump against it. "Don...I can't..." He clutched the handle but couldn't bring himself to open it. Maybe he could stay for a bit...just five minutes with Don...it couldn't hurt...but Mac knew that his resolve would be sorely tested if he turned around. His only hope was to keep moving...and yet he couldn't bring himself to open the door.

"The hell you can't..." Don had had enough. He threw back the bedclothes and pushed himself to his feet. But he only managed a few steps before his legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground, ripping the I.V. line from his hand as he did so. "Mac!" he managed to cry out as he crashed heavily to the floor.>>

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5  
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The smart thing for Mac to do would have been to locate a doctor to see to Don and then make a hasty exit. That's what Mac's brain kept telling him to do, even as he turned and rushed to Don's side, his CSI kit dropping unnoticed to the ground.

Don was slumped on the ground when Mac reached him. He carefully helped Don into a seated position, asking, "Did you hurt yourself?"

"Like youze would care," growled Don, but he didn't push Mac away.

"Don, I do care," said Mac. "Don't ever believe that I don't."

"Then where've you been this last week?" asked Don, a note of anger in his voice. "You said you'd get me through this. What the hell sort of promise is that to go and break?"

"I..." Mac didn't get a chance to even think of an excuse before Don continued.

"You know what I thought when I woke up and you weren't there? I thought...I thought that maybe you hadn't made it out of the building." Don swallowed hard before continuing, "I thought that maybe I'd just imagined you after the explosion...that you were dead...and...and nobody figured they should tell me till I was stronger. And then I find..." Don's voice cracked before he managed to get it under control. "And then I hear that it's not that you can't come visit...it's that you don't want to...and it hurt Mac...I don't know which hurt more...thinking you were dead, or just knowing that youze didn't care enough to come near me." Don wiped his hand over his eyes as he asked, "Why Mac? You promised you'd get me through this...I remember you saying so...I needed you Mac, and you weren't there...what the hell happened to you...to us...was it something I did...my scars..."

"Don...I'm sorry," said Mac, wrapping his arm around Don and pulling him closer. "It's not the scars...it's not you. You have done nothing wrong..." He sighed heavily before continuing, "It's me...I'm the one who messed up. When I saw you after the explosion...I couldn't bear the thought of losing another...of losing you."

"So you just walked out on me instead? What sort of fucked up logic is that, Mac?" Don was too tired and exhausted to keep his anger up. Instead he just sounded sad as he let his head fall against Mac's chest.

"I thought..." Mac sighed again, "I was afraid Don. I'd never planned on our relationship going this far. I thought...I didn't think it would hurt this much to see you like this...and I knew that if I kept our relationship going, that it would kill me to see anything happen to you. When Claire died, a part of me died as well...and when I saw you lying there bleeding...I felt like another part of me was dying. Don, I just felt I couldn't take the chance that I'd end up the way I did after Claire. I barely survived it once...I can't let it happen again. I'm sorry Don, I love you, but we can't stay together. I can't survive losing you."

"You think if something happens me a week from Tuesday it'd hurt you any less just cause we' split up? You think you can shut off what you're feeling? Cause I know some people say you got ice in your veins Mac, but I've seen the real you and I know it ain't like that"  
This time it was Don who pulled Mac close to him. "You can't go through life pushing people away, just cause it might hurt to lose 'em, Mac. That's not how it's supposed to be. You love somebody and of course it hurts when you lose 'em, that's how you know it's love. And I know, cause that's how I was feeling when I thought you hadn't made it. And you never know how bad it's gonna be until it happens. But all you can do is survive it. You're a survivor Mac, we both are. If I hadn't a made it out, you'd have survived without me."

"I'm not sure I'd have wanted to," said Mac, softly.

Don shrugged, "Just as well you don't have to then, isn't it."

"Yeah," said Mac, a half smile on his face.

"So you still planning on breaking up with me?" Don's tone was deliberately casual, but Mac could feel the way his whole body tensed up as he waited for the answer.

"Well like you said, it probably wouldn't make that much difference now, would it," Mac replied in as carefully casual a tone as Don's. Turning so he could look into Don's eyes, Mac slowly leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. "I'm sorry Don," he said when he pulled away. "I'm sorry for the way I've been behaving this last week. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me."

Don put a finger on his lips to silence him, "You're here now, that's what matters."

Mac smiled, "Come on, let's get you into bed."

"Man, those are words I didn't think I'd hear from you again."

"Cute. You know what I mean." Mac wrapped his arm around Don and helped him to stand and move back to his bed. It wasn't until he lowered him to the mattress that he realized there was a small dark patch on Don's hospital gown. "Don, you're bleeding!"

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Stella was pacing up and down outside in the in the corridor. It seemed like an eternity since Mac had gone into Don's room. She supposed the fact that he was still in there was a good sign...at least he hadn't just walked out once he'd realized he'd been set up. "I should have bugged the place first," she told herself as she checked her watch for the tenth time. A part of her worried that Mac wouldn't take kindly to her interference, and would be even less happy that she'd used work related channels to do it. But Stella felt that in this case the end justified the means, and if it meant giving Mac and Don a chance to sort out their relationship properly, whether they stayed together or not, well that was worth the risk. She just hoped Mac would see it that way.

Stella wondered if maybe she should have waited before pushing the guys together. Don was still so weak physically; maybe a forced confrontation wasn't the best thing for him right now. And when the call button light started flashing above the door, Stella was afraid her fear had been justified.

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Stella yelled for a nurse even as she pushed open the door to Don's room. "Mac, what happened?" she asked as she hurried to Don's bed.

"Stella, what are you doing here?" asked Don, trying to sit up.

"Maybe she's collecting evidence from a John Doe," growled Mac as he pushed Don back down onto the bed. "Lie still or you'll open up even more." He kept his hand on Don's shoulder to keep him from moving, even as he turned to Stella, "He ripped open some of his fresh stitches. Started bleeding a little."

"How'd he manage that, what happened here, Mac?" Stella was shocked that Don had injured himself.

"It's not...it's not Mac's fault, Stella," said Don, gritting his teeth against the pain. "I should a known there was a reason the Doc told me to stay off my feet." His hand reached up to his shoulder and fastened itself over Mac's hand. "Me and Mac, we're good...really."

The nurse showed up before Stella could respond and a Doctor was called to check the situation. As Mac had already ascertained, all Don needed was to have a few of his stitches replaced. The Doctor tried to clear the room so that he could replace the sutures, but Mac was having none of it. He'd already abandoned Don once before, he wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.

Stella too wasn't about to leave. She did step back to allow the medical staff to do their work, but she couldn't help but watch the way Mac literally held Don's hand throughout. The procedure didn't look painful, and Don had been given a local anesthetic before the doctor had commenced suturing, but after what he'd been through this last week, Stella could imagine that it wasn't a pleasant experience for him to be going through.

It wasn't until after Don's wound had been redressed and all the medical personnel had left, that Stella got a chance to speak to Mac.

"Mac, I'm sorry," she said, before Mac could open his mouth. "I know I shouldn't have had you paged to come here, but I couldn't think of any other way to get you in a room together. Nurse Wu was acting on my instructions, and if there's any repercussions, then I take full responsibility."

"Stella," interrupted Mac. "It's all right. I understand why you did it, and I appreciate it. But if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I'll have you on report so fast your head will spin. Understood?"

"Understood," said Stella. "And you guys, are you okay?"

"We still have some things to talk through," said Mac, squeezing Don's hand.

"But we're gonna talk 'em through," finished Don.

Stella smiled, "Well I'll leave you to it then." She gave Don a quick hug, "Remember the Doctor told you to rest."

Mac also received a hug from Stella as she said, "And you need to get some sleep as well."

Don waited until Stella had left the room before tugging on Mac's hand and saying, "So...we got more stuff to talk through?"

Mac smiled, "Nothing that can't wait until morning."

"So you'll come back then?"

"Actually..." Mac hesitated only momentarily before continuing, "I wasn't planning on leaving. I'll find a chair somewhere..."

"The hell you will," interrupted Don. "There's room for two right here." He pulled on Mac's hand.

"You need your rest," protested Mac.

"I always sleep better when I've got you next to me, Mac," said Don. He reached up and touched Mac's face. "Just hold me until I fall asleep." He yawned theatrically. "Shouldn't be too long!"

"All right," said Mac, climbing carefully on to the bed beside Don. "But don't blame me when the nurses find us and throw me out." He lay on his side, one arm wrapping itself protectively around Don, who snuggled close to him.

"You and me, Mac...we're gonna be okay, right? I mean, I know I told Stella we're good...but we are okay? We weren't just bullshitting her or nothing?"

Mac leaned over and kissed Don gently on the lips. "Two things, Don. Firstly, do you really think I would dare to bullshit Stella?" Mac watched the smile appear on Don's face. A smile which widened as Mac added, "Secondly, it may not be easy...but yeah, I think we'll be okay."

And they were.

-------------------------------

The End


End file.
